Bringing Aptamers Into Technologies: Impact Of Spacer Terminations

We propose a low cost modeling approach to screen the impact of aptamer structural modifications on their biomechanical stability. This responds to the current immature control of aptamer properties when integrated into bio-hybrid devices. We predict that common spacers (PEG, polythymine) disrupt aptamer rigidity, whereas alkyl chains have minimal incidence on its mechanical properties. We also observe that mutations in the active site are equally perturbative as PEG or polythymine. We suggest that the rational design of aptamer-based biosensing devices calls for a precise modeling of surface grafting and envision that our tool is readily adapted to face this challenge. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4704658]